In U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,144, assigned to the assignee hereof and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, there is described a system for selectively dispensing aerosol spray material to an environment comprising an enclosure, a solenoid-activated valve mechanism in the enclosure through which the aerosol spray material may be dispensed and an aerosol can in the enclosure mounted to the valve mechanism. The mounting between the aerosol can and the valve mechanism comprises an element which snaps into the rim of the aerosol container and also snaps onto a circular lip formed adjacent to the lower extremity of the valve mechanism.
The spent can with element attached is removed from the solenoid valve mechanism and replaced. Close tolerances were required to ensure that the element could be demounted readily from the valve mechanism for replacement of spent can and yet would provide a sufficient grip to ensure that the aerosol can does not become dislodged from the valve mechanism in use.
In addition, care was necessary to ensure that, during assembly of a new aerosol can to the valve mechanism, proper and precise alignment was maintained between the aerosol can valve stem and the upstream inlet of the solenoid valve mechanism.